How We Find Ourselves: Identity Development and Two Spirit People

Abstract

Psychological theorists have typically treated sexual and racial identity as discrete and independent developmental pathways. While this simplifying division may make it easier to generate theory, it may also make it less likely that the resulting theory will describe people's real-life developmental experiences. In this article, Alex Wilson examines identity development from an Indigenous American perspective, grounded in the understanding that all aspects of identity (including sexuality, race and gender) are interconnected. Many lesbian, gay and bisexual Indigenous Americans use the term "two-spirit" to describe themselves. This term is drawn from a traditional worldview that affirms the inseparability of the experience of their sexuality from the experience of their culture and community. How can this self-awareness and revisioning of identity inform developmental theory? The author offers personal story as a step toward reconstructing and strengthening our understanding of identity.

Queer Student Leaders: An Exploratory Case Study of Identity Development and LGBT Student Involvement at a Midwestern Research University

“…There has been a broader consideration of the ways race and culture interact with the process of sexual identity development and the experience of non-heterosexuality in the United States (e.g., Boykin, 1996;Espin, 1993;Wilson, 1996). What it means to identify as same-gender loving is different across cultural contexts, and the process of identifying as a "dual minority" (sexual and racial or ethnic) calls on additional skills in code switching and environmental scanning.…”

Lesbian Women of Color: Therapeutic Issues and Challenges

“…Sioui (as cited in Wilson, 1996) has reported that on the North American continent there are more than 500 Nations, or tribes. Nonetheless, there are some commonalties that can inform the understanding of some of the factors that might contribute to the experiences of Native American lesbians.…”

“…Nonetheless, there are some commonalties that can inform the understanding of some of the factors that might contribute to the experiences of Native American lesbians. One important influence is the centrality of spirituality and the strength of its ability to unite people (Tafoya, 1997; W. L. Williams, 1996;Wilson, 1996). There is a core belief that all that exists has a direct connection to the spirit world.…”

“…Hence, it is not unusual for two spirited people to be leaders in the community (Tafoya, 1997). In other communities, they are simply accepted as part of the community (Wilson, 1996). W. L. Williams (1996) described finding situations in his own research, as well as in anthropological reports going back centuries, where two spirited men and women have been well integrated into a variety of Native tribes.…”

“…Both Tafoya and Wilson (1996) have stressed the ways that the binary nature of the English language makes it difficult to fully comprehend the openness, interconnectedness, and fluidity of Native interpretations of concepts such as gender and sexual orientation. In addition, sexuality is more likely to be seen as part of the whole of a person's identity and not separable from it (Wilson, 1996). Along with this is an openness to allow individuals the JOURNAL OF MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT April 2003 Vol.…”